The present invention relates to a stirrup. More particularly, the present invention relates to an extendable stirrup that includes a stirrup assembly that is spring loaded to a ratchet assembly for adjustably affixing the height of the stirrup.
The operational height of a stirrup often makes it difficult for a rider to step into the stirrup to mount the horse upon which a saddle and the stirrup are positioned.
The youthful or short rider is dependent upon another person to assist or boost the rider, to allow the rider to reach and insert their foot into the stirrup of the saddle. If another person were not available, the rider generally sought a rock, box, stool, fence or other inanimate object to assist them in reaching the stirrup. This practice, through common, is unsafe and less practical, as the horse sensing the reason for being positioned near inanimate object often pulls away foiling the attempt to mount. This procedure is also limited by the availability of the inanimate object.
Further, the enjoyment of horseback riding by small children and youths has always been hindered by the lack of low-cost alterations to standard-sized saddles. A small child cannot properly fit on a standard-sized saddle and use the stirrups. The stirrups on such a saddle cannot be adequately adjusted for small children or youths.
Because horse riders can vary as to their leg length, it is desirable to have the stirrups of a saddle adjustable in distance from the seat of the saddle.
Numerous innovations for stirrups have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention in that they do not teach an extendable stirrup that includes a stirrup assembly that is spring loaded to a ratchet assembly for adjustably affixing the height of the stirrup.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 289,453 to Royer, II teaches the ornamental appearance of a positioning brace for saddle stirrups that includes a pair of upwardly-opening horse shoe shaped members that are connected to each other by a slender and substantially rectangular-parallelepiped-shaped connecting member.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,338 to Martin teaches a fender bending attachment that includes a first leg that has a pair of opposed and abrasive engagement surfaces that are spaced laterally a distance approximately equal to the thickness of the fender of a saddle. A second leg is disposed at an angle of approximately 90 degrees or less to the first leg. A third leg extends rearwardly from the second leg at the distal end thereof.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,938 to Townsend teaches a stirrup extension that includes an elongated frame constructed of a continuous rod. The frame has a pair of vertically disposed hooks at its upper end thereof. A step is located at the lower end of the of the frame. An arm is secured to the frame and extends vertically upwardly therefrom and terminates in a horizontally disposed U-shaped hook.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,721 to Van Scoyk teaches a stirrup attachment which attaches to a standard-sized saddle and includes a single strap that has stirrups mounted on each end and adjustment buckles to alter the length of the attachment.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,216,874 to Farrow teaches a leather adjustable stirrup strap that has a plurality of apertures in a first strap portion and plate-like fastener attached to a second strap portion. The fastener has two inverted U-shaped projections for fitting in selected apertures of the plurality of apertures to form the strap into a closed loop or desired length. A locking strap sized to fit under the U-shaped projections is also provided.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,797 to Seal et al. teaches a mounting stirrup that includes a strap and a youth sized stirrup attached to one end thereof by means of a buckle and a loop on the other end thereof.
FINALLY, STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, GB Patent No. 2 037 139 to Belton, teaches a stirrup strap that has a loop disposed at the top thereof for engaging a saddle iron. The stirrup strap extends downwardly as a single thickness portion whose free end can be hooked through a stirrup and engaged with a hook at an intermediate distance along the strap, in a position of adjustment obtained by choice of one of a row of holes in the free end of the strap for passing over the hook.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for stirrups have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.